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Science

trotsky

(49,533 posts)

1. It's like cancer: early detection is key.

Reply to steve2470 (Original post)

Tue May 12, 2015, 06:58 PM

May 2015

If we had 1000 years notice, we could probably divert one even with today's technology. Just a long, slow, steady push to veer it slightly off course would work fine.

100 years? Maybe if we quickly dumped a bunch of money into a research project to generate incredible thrust, we'd stand a decent chance.

10 or less? Everybody bend over and kiss your ass goodbye.

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Highlight:

Asteroid defense: any feasible ideas or we are just doomed theoretically ? [View all] steve2470 May 2015 OP

It's like cancer: early detection is key. trotsky May 2015 #1

ignorant question here steve2470 May 2015 #2

Possibly - high powered lasers could vaporize a side of it, and propel it in the other direction. trotsky May 2015 #6

All I could think to do would be to hit an incoming asteroid with a nuclear warhead Maedhros May 2015 #3

Very fix-able MannyGoldstein May 2015 #4

A NASA program suggested paint one side black, the other white csziggy May 2015 #7

Like this? MannyGoldstein May 2015 #8

Yes - exactly! n/t csziggy May 2015 #9

Just getting close enough to paint it, will probably alter its course. immoderate May 2015 #11

True - I've read that the course can be altered by traveling close csziggy May 2015 #12

Not sure what you would call that. immoderate May 2015 #15

the biggest nuclear warhead we can build... krispos42 May 2015 #5

If we can encounter it when it's 100 million miles away (roughly 1 AU, just past Mars) immoderate May 2015 #10

The B612 Foundation bananas May 2015 #13

NASA NEO Program bananas May 2015 #14

2003 letter to congress bananas May 2015 #16

US space policy and planetary defense bananas May 2015 #17